Tag Archives: Warnings

In this world of fake news and the non-existence of investigative reporting both Sarah Boseley and The Guardian have long been a breath of fresh air and deserve a medal for their reporting! The only problem with this one is that the research they are reporting on is three decades too late! But it is because of their efforts as opposed to the lack of efforts by others that I include their request at the end of this article for donations as they are independent in their reporting.

For two and a half decades I and the International Coalition For Drug Awareness which I head have been warning about the dangers of withdrawal with a streaming ribbon across the top of our web page (www.drugawareness.org) warning that abrupt or rapid withdrawal can prove to be more dangerous, disabling, and last far longer than a very slow, careful, gradual withdrawal. Most confusing is the fact that the worst of the withdrawal can be delayed six months or longer depending upon the length of time on antidepressants. And for those on the drugs for ten years or more the delay can be even longer. In 1999 I finally tired of repeating over & over & over again one patient at a time all the information on safe withdrawal & published an hour & a half long CD on safe withdrawal & withdrawal tips on easing withdrawal effects which has more informationabout these drugs than you can find in years of research! You can find that in a downloadable version for just under $5 at the following link:

The chapter in my book on these antidepressants, Prozac: Panacea or Pandora? Our Serotonin Nightmare, discusses the amazing similarity of these serotonergic antidepressants to Phencyclidine (PCP, “Angel Dust),” a medication pulled from the market only a few years before Prozac was introduced in the US and a drug in the same family as Ketamine now being pushed for treatment of depression! So what is most interesting considering the information in this article about those on antidepressants not wanting to attempt withdrawal because it is so horrible is that is exactly the reason people reported not wanting to withdraw from Phencyclidine (PCP, “Angel Dust”)! Reading the reports of those on both drugs was almost identical with them even using the exact same words to describe their experience! Seems history is repeating itself once again….and ironically these are the drugs people being forced off the opioid pain killers are being given as a replacement in spite of the fact that patients on them have reported for decades that coming off an antidepressant is far more difficult that getting off opioids!

Another helpful place for those looking for support as they go through the withdrawal process is one of our many Facebook groups. To find one just type in the name of the drug you are withdrawing from followed by the phrase “Should Be Illegal” & you will find thousands of others going through the same things you are. For example “Prozac (Fluoxetine) Should Be Illegal”

Antidepressant withdrawal symptoms severe, says new report…

Existing guidance that symptoms are minimal leads to misdiagnosis and ‘harmful long-term prescribing’

Sarah Boseley Health editor

Tue 2 Oct 2018 11.23 EDT

Shares
6,036

‘The withdrawal effects if I forget to take my pill are severe shakes, suicidal thoughts, a feeling of too much caffeine in my brain, electric shocks, hallucinations, insane mood swings,’ said one patient in a study. Photograph: Steve Debenport/Getty

Half of all those taking antidepressants experience withdrawal problems when they try to give them up and for millions of people in England, these are severe, according to a new review of the evidence commissioned by MPs.

Guidance from the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (Nice), which says withdrawal symptoms “are usually mild and self-limiting over about one week” urgently needs to be changed, say the review authors.

Dr James Davies from the University of Roehampton and Prof John Read from the University of East London say the high rate of withdrawal symptoms may be part of the reason people are staying on the pills for longer. They cannot cope, so carry on taking the drugs, or their doctors assume they have relapsed and write another prescription.

The review was commissioned by the all-party parliamentary group for prescribed drug dependence and follows a long debate about the Nice guidance, which critics say is out of date.

Modern antidepressants of the SSRI class, such as Prozac (fluoxetine) and Seroxat (paroxetine), were marketed in part on their safety. Studies showed that when taken alone, overdoses were rarely fatal, which was not the case with benzodiazepines. Also, stopping the drugs was said to be easier.

This new review of the research reveals what many patients have known for years…Dr James Davies

There have been plenty of anecdotal accounts of withdrawal symptoms, which include dizziness, vertigo, nausea, insomnia, headaches, tiredness and difficulties concentrating. But the Nice guidance said in 2004 that the withdrawal symptoms were slight and short-lived and was re-adopted without further evidence in 2009. It is similar to the US guidance, which says symptoms usually resolve within one to two weeks.

The review, published in the journal Addictive Behaviors, focused on 14 studies of antidepressants that had relevant data on withdrawal symptoms. The studies, which were diverse, showed that between 27% and 86% of people suffered from them, with a weighted average of 56%.

Antidepressants are now some of the most commonly prescribed drugs in the UK and US, say the authors. “In the UK, usage has risen since 2000 by 170%, with over seven million adults (16% of the English adult population) being prescribed an antidepressant in England alone last year,” says the review.

About half of antidepressant users have been taking the pills for longer than two years. In England, that is 3.5 million people – 8% of the population. In the US, 13% of the population (37 million adults) were on them by 2011-2014, official data shows. Half have been taking them for five years or more.

“This new review of the research reveals what many patients have known for years – that withdrawal from antidepressants often causes severe, debilitating symptoms which can last for weeks, months or longer,” said Dr James Davies.

“Existing Nice guidelines fail to acknowledge how common withdrawal is and wrongly suggest that it usually resolves within one week. This leads many doctors to misdiagnose withdrawal symptoms, often as relapse, resulting in much unnecessary and harmful long-term prescribing.”

In addition to updating the existing evidence reviews, we will include new work on patient choice Nice
The review includes comments from some of the studies where antidepressant users were interviewed about their experiences of trying to wean themselves off the pills.

One spoke of “horrible dizzy spells and nausea whenever I lower my dose”. Another said: “The withdrawal effects if I forget to take my pill are severe shakes, suicidal thoughts, a feeling of too much caffeine in my brain, electric shocks, hallucinations, insane mood swings … kinda stuck on them now coz I’m too scared to come off it.”

Sir Oliver Letwin MP, chair of the parliamentary group, said: “This systematic review provides important new data on antidepressant withdrawal which will be considered by Public Health England as part of their current review into prescribed drug dependence. The data suggests that existing medical guidelines in this area should be urgently updated to reflect the fact that antidepressant withdrawal is much more common, severe and long-lasting than previously stated. Furthermore, we hope that other medical bodies will take note of this new research, and update their own guidance accordingly.”

Nice said it is looking again at its guidance. “In July 2018, the committee met and concluded that the current evidence base needs updating to include research from July 2016 onwards. Nice agrees,” said Paul Chrisp, director of the Centre for Guidelines at Nice. “It is important that the final recommendations are based on the most up-to-date evidence possible. In addition to updating the existing evidence reviews, we will include new work on patient choice and a focus on shared decision making.

“We hope the final guideline will allow people with depression to be offered the best treatments and reach joint decisions about their care that reflect their preferences and values.”

• This article was amended on 3 October 2018 to clarify how overdosing on SSRI antidepressants differs from overdosing on benzodiazepines.

Since you’re here…
… we have a small favour to ask. More people are reading the Guardian than ever but advertising revenues across the media are falling fast. And unlike many news organisations, we haven’t put up a paywall – we want to keep our journalism as open as we can. So you can see why we need to ask for your help. The Guardian’s independent, investigative journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce.

The Guardian is editorially independent, meaning we set our own agenda. Our journalism is free from commercial bias and not influenced by billionaire owners, politicians or shareholders. No one edits our Editor. No one steers our opinion. This is important because it enables us to give a voice to the voiceless, challenge the powerful and hold them to account. It’s what makes us different to so many others in the media, at a time when factual, honest reporting is critical.

If everyone who reads our reporting, who likes it, helps to support it, our future would be much more secure. For as little as $1, you can support the Guardian – and it only takes a minute. Thank you.

Creed frontman, Scott Stapp, has had some serious problems lately and has just been diagnosed as having Bipolar Disorder despite his admission of abusing prescription drugs and alcohol which can trigger a transient Bipolar reaction, but does not need to be treated for the rest of his life with Bipolar meds as he is apparently being told.

HOW SAD!!! Not another one! If they are “medicating” him for Bipolar they are likely giving him antidepressants which produce overwhelming cravings for alcohol and Bipolar reactions – just what he does NOT need! There should be warnings on these drugs that someone who has had an alcohol or drug problem in the past like Del Shannon or Robin Williams or Brynn Hartman, Phil Hartman’s wife, that they should NEVER be given an antidepressant!!!!! They are absolutely deadly for them!

I was the expert in Brynn and Phil Hartman’s wrongful death suit against the makers of Zoloft.

Del Shannon’s widow is a dear friend of mine who follows my work closely because of Del’s suicide on Prozac after only a couple of weeks on it.

Brynn Hartman without doubt and Robin Williams I also believe acted out their worst nightmare called the REM Sleep Disorder, known to produce both suicide and murder. And 80% of those being diagnosed with this deadly sleep disorder are currently taking an antidepressant even though it is generally seen as a drug withdrawal state. So no one should ever come abruptly off one of these drugs!!

Someone is NOT “sober” when he is being given mind altering prescription drugs. I have seen a six month episode of full blown manic psychosis completely disappear with the use of Tahitian Noni juice. I believe the reason for that is it balances blood sugar which has long been considered a potential trigger for mania/Bipolar episodes.

WITHDRAWAL WARNING: In sharing this information about adverse reactions to antidepressants I always recommend that you also give reference to my CD on safe withdrawal, Help! I Can’t Get Off My Antidepressant!, so that we do not have more people dropping off these drugs too quickly – a move which I have warned from the beginning can be even more dangerous than staying on the drugs!

WITHDRAWAL HELP: You can find the hour and a half long CD on safe and effective withdrawal helps here: http://store.drugawareness.org/ And if you need additional consultations with Ann Blake-Tracy, you can book one at www.drugawareness.org or sign up for one of the memberships for the International Coalition for Drug Awareness which includes free consultations as one of the benefits of that particular membership plan.

YET ANOTHER SCHOOL SHOOTING!!! How can these continue? Basically non-existant before antidepressants hit the market. Now there is another one every time you turn around & in almost every case there is you will find an antidepressant involved as we will likely find in this one as well. How this can continue to go on right under the noses of everyone and so few “get it” is beyond me!!! Orwell could not have pegged our age any better than he did in his book 1984!

I have to agree with Dr. Peter Breggin on this article & would encourage you to read it & educate yourself about this drug.

But what I would add that was not addressed here is how often Xanax is prescribed in antidepressant withdrawal thereby causing Xanax to take responsibility for what the antidepressant withdrawal actually caused or exacerbated the effects. If that is a possibility in Whitney Houston’s case we do not know because that information has not been shared & is rarely addressed or considered.

Another important issue not addressed here is that Ambien is in this same group of drugs & most are aware of the very serious problems with this Benzo.

Also when Xanax was introduced to the market ~ supposedly to replace its extremely addictive sister drug, Valium ~ it is amazing to see it made it to approval when you consider that 1/3 of those in the clinical trials for Xanax could not withdraw from this drug due to its extremely addictive properties!!!

Reports that Xanax and other benzos are not usually lethal when taken alone are vastly misleading. Xanax is rarely taken alone. Why? Because as much or more than any other prescribed drug, Xanax causes medication spellbinding.

Tonight I got a call from a close friend I have known for over 20 years. He called to let me know that his 32 year old niece committed suicide on antidepressants today leaving her husband & three children behind. Last week I got a call from another close friend whose son-in-law made several very impulsive serious suicide attempts after taking only one Zoloft. So why you ask do I do what I do in working so hard to educate others to the dangers of these drugs? Because … no matter who you are … antidepressants come through your back door when you are not looking & destroy lives of those you love!!!

This is the link to a site posted by an amazing young man who has been able to accomplish this much from inside a prison cell after he killed his father while on Prozac when he was just a teen: http://www.thesaveproject.com/ I do hope you click on Kurt’s site and watch the video that was a Primetime special we did a few years back. In the video you will see MANY of those I have worked with over the years that have come to be like family to me. I cry everytime I think of the precious lives that have been lost to us all because of these deadly drugs!!!!!

Paragraqphs two and three read: “Tanya Eliz Moschetti, 42, 1253 12 1/2 Road, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault on a peace officer, third-degree assault and criminal mischief after deputies received a report of a possible overdose at her house and were told she was running around the house naked and breaking things, according to an arrest affidavit.”

“When deputies arrived, they noted Moschetti, who was standing outside and cursing at a man inside, was slurring her speech and had a distant gaze in her eyes. She said she was taking medication for depression.”

A Loma woman was arrested Saturday after she allegedly assaulted a sheriff’s deputy who had responded to a domestic disturbance at her house, the Mesa County Sheriff’s Department said.

Tanya Eliz Moschetti, 42, 1253 12 1/2 Road, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree assault on a peace officer, third-degree assault and criminal mischief after deputies received a report of a possible overdose at her house and were told she was running around the house naked and breaking things, according to an arrest affidavit.

When deputies arrived, they noted Moschetti, who was standing outside and cursing at a man inside, was slurring her speech and had a distant gaze in her eyes. She said she was taking medication for depression.

At one point, Moschetti tried to re-enter the house and struck a deputy on the arm when he tried to stop her.

“Not only are more U.S. residents being treated with antidepressants, but also those who are being treated are receiving more antidepressant prescriptions,” they added.

[Note by Ann Blake-Tracy: Far too many doctors are prescribing two and even three antidepressants at a time which should never be done due to the high potential of resulting Serotonin Syndrome from the combination.]

“During this period, individuals treated with antidepressants became more likely to also receive treatment with antipsychotic medications . . . “

[Note by Ann Blake-Tracy:Additional supporting data to add to the story we just sent out on 81% of those diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder having been previously treated with antidepressants or Ritalin type drugs – making these popular drugs the main triggers for Bipolar Disorder and manic psychosis.]

Antidepressant use doubles in U.S., study finds

WASHINGTON – Use of antidepressant drugs in the United States doubled between 1996 and 2005, probably because of a mix of factors, researchers reported on Monday.

About 6 percent of people were prescribed an antidepressant in 1996 — 13 million people. This rose to more than 10 percent or 27 million people by 2005, the researchers found.

“Significant increases in antidepressant use were evident across all sociodemographic groups examined, except African Americans,” Dr. Mark Olfson of Columbia University in New York and Steven Marcus of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia wrote in the Archives of General Psychiatry.

“Not only are more U.S. residents being treated with antidepressants, but also those who are being treated are receiving more antidepressant prescriptions,” they added.

More than 164 million prescriptions were written in 2008 for antidepressants, totaling $9.6 billion in U.S. sales, according to IMS Health.

Drugs that affect the brain chemical serotonin like GlaxoSmithKline’s Paxil, known generically as paroxetine, and Eli Lilly and Co’s Prozac, known generically as fluoxetine, are the most commonly prescribed class of antidepressant. But the study found the effect in all classes of the drugs.

Olfson and Marcus looked at the Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys done by the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, involving more than 50,000 people in 1996 and 2005.

“During this period, individuals treated with antidepressants became more likely to also receive treatment with antipsychotic medications and less likely to undergo psychotherapy,” they wrote.

Newer drugs, more social acceptance
The survey did not look at why, but the researchers made some educated guesses. It may be more socially acceptable to be diagnosed with and treated for depression, they said. The availability of new drugs may also have been a factor.

“Although there was little change in total promotional spending for antidepressants between 1999 ($0.98 billion) and 2005 ($1.02 billion), there was a marked increase in the percentage of this spending that was devoted to direct-to consumer advertising, from 3.3 percent ($32 million) to 12 percent ($122.00 million),” they added.

Dr. Eric Caine of the University of Rochester in New York said he was concerned by the findings. “Antidepressants are only moderately effective on population level,” he said in a telephone interview.

Cost may be deterrent to talk therapy
Caine, who was not involved in the research, noted that several studies show therapy is as effective as, if not more effective than, drug use alone.

“There are no data to say that the population is healthier. Indeed, the suicide rate in the middle years of life has been climbing,” he said.

Olfson and Marcus said out-of-pocket costs for psychotherapy and lower insurance coverage for such visits may have driven patients away from seeing therapists in favor of an easy-to-prescribe pill.

The rise in antidepressant prescriptions also is seen despite a series of public health warnings on use of antidepressant drugs beginning in 2003 after clinical trials showed they increased the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children and teens.

In February 2005, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration added its strongest warning, a so-called black box, on the use of all antidepressants in children and teens.

Dropping “cold turkey” off any medication, most especially mind altering medications, can often be MORE DANGEROUS than staying on the drugs. With antidepressants the FDA has now warned that any abrupt change in dose, whether increasing or decreasing the dose, can produce suicide, hostility, or psychosis – generally a manic psychosis when you then get your diagnosis for Bipolar Disorder. Of course drug-induced Bipolar is temporary so you need to learn more about that if it has already happened to you. We have a DVD on explaining this and how to recover from it: “Bipolar? Are You Really Bipolar or Misdiagnosed Due to the Use of or Abrupt Discontinuation of an Antidepressant”: https://store.drugawareness.org/product/bipolar-disorder-streaming/

The most dangerous and yet the most common mistake someone coming off any antidepressant, atypical antipsychotic, or benzodiazaphine makes is coming off these drugs too rapidly. Tapering off VERY, VERY, VERY SLOWLY–OVER MONTHS OR YEARS (The general rule of thumb for those on antidepressants (ANY antidepressant, not just the current antidepressant – add up all time on any of them) for less than a year is to take half the amount of time on them to wean off and for long-term users for each 5 years on psychiatric drugs of any kind the general rule of thumb is at least a year or more.), NOT JUST WEEKS OR MONTHS!—has proven the safest and most effective method of withdrawal from these types of medications. Thus the body is given the time it needs to readjust its own chemical levels. Patients must be warned to come very slowly off these drugs by shaving minuscule amounts off their pills each day, as opposed to cutting them.

WARNING: The practice of taking a pill every other day throws you into withdrawal every other day and can be very dangerous when you consider the FDA warnings on abrupt changes in dose.

This cannot be stressed strongly enough! This information on EXTREMELY gradual withdrawal is the most critical piece of information that someone facing withdrawal from these drugs needs to have.

A REMINDER: IT IS EASIER TO GET DOWN OFF A MOUNTAINTOP ONE GUARDED STEP AT A TIME THAN TO JUMP FROM THE TOP TO THE BOTTOM.

No matter how few or how many side effects you have had on these antidepressants, withdrawal is a whole new world. The worst part of rapid withdrawal can be delayed for several months AFTER you quit. So even if you think you are doing okay you quickly find that it becomes much worse. If you do not come off correctly and rebuild your body as you do, you risk:

Creating bouts of overwhelming depression

Producing a MUCH longer withdrawal and recovery period than if you had come off slowly

Overwhelming fatigue causing you to be unable to continue daily tasks or costing your job

Having a psychotic break brought on by the terrible insomnia from the rapid withdrawal, and then being locked in a psychiatric ward and being told you are either schizophrenic or most likely that you are Bipolar.

Ending up going back on the drugs (each period on the drugs tends to be more dangerous and problematic than the previous time you were on the drugs) and having more drugs added to calm the withdrawal effects

Seizures and other life threatening physical reactions

Violent outbursts or rages

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder which has always been known as a drug withdrawal state and is known to include both suicide and homicide – both committed in a sleep state.

Although my book, Prozac: Panacea or Pandora? Our Serotonin Nightmare!, contains massive amounts of information you can find nowhere else on these drugs, it does not have the extensive amount of information contained in the CD focusing mainly on withdrawal issues. The CD contains newer and updated information on safe withdrawal from these drugs. It details over an hour and a half the safest ways found over the past 30 years to withdraw from antidepressants and the drugs so often prescribed with them – the atypical antipsychotics and benzodiazapenes. And it explains why it is safest to withdraw tiny amounts from all of the medications at the same time rather than withdrawing only one at a time.

It also lists many safe alternative treatments that can assist you in getting though the withdrawal and lists other alternatives to avoid which are not safe after using antidepressants. And it contains information on how to rebuild your health after you have had it destroyed by these drugs so that you never end up feeling a need to be on these drugs again.

The CD is very inexpensive and will save you thousands in medical bills which far too many end up spending trying to do it on your own without this information. (One woman who decided she was okay coming down twice as fast as recommended paid a terrible price. After withdrawing she suffered the REM Sleep Disorder early one morning and attacked her husband with a baseball bat (for which she has no memory) and which ended their lifelong courtship and marriage. And cost her $30,000 to be in a psychiatric facility where they put her on five more drugs plus the antidepressant she had just withdrawn from! You can see why many have lamented that they wished they would have had the information on this CD before attempting withdrawal.

This is a CD doctors can also benefit from when attempting to withdraw their patients from these drugs which the World Health Organization has now told us are addictive and produce withdrawal. And doctors have begun to recommend the CD to their patients.

In 2005 the FDA issued strong warnings about changes in dose for antidepressants. They warned that ANY abrupt change in dose of an antidepressant, whether increasing or decreasing the dose….so that would include switching antidepressants, starting or stopping antidepressants, forgetting to take a pill, skipping doses, taking a pill one day & not the next, etc…. can cause suicide, hostility, and/or psychosis – generally a manic psychosis which is why so many are given a diagnosis for Bipolar Disorder after this withdrawal reaction that can so severely impair sleep leading to a psychotic break.

Clearly coming down too rapidly can be very, very dangerous. We encourage you to arm yourself with knowledge by downloading our CD on safe withdrawal.

WARNING:In sharing this information about adverse reactions to antidepressants I always recommend that you also give reference to my CD on safe withdrawal, Help! I Can’t Get Off My Antidepressant!, so that we do not have more people dropping off these drugs too quickly – a move which I have warned from the beginning can be even more dangerous than staying on the drugs!

The FDA also now warns that any abrupt change in dose of an antidepressant can produce suicide, hostility or psychosis. And these reactions can either come on very rapidly or even be delayed for months depending upon the adverse effects upon sleep patterns when the withdrawal is rapid! You can find the CD on safe and effective withdrawal helps here: http://store.drugawareness.org/

Book Excerpts

BOOK TESTIMONIALS

"VERY BOLD AND INFORMATIVE"

"PRICELESS INFORMATION THAT IS GIVING ME BACK TO ME"

"THE ABSOLUTE BEST REFERENCE FOR ANTIDEPRESSANT DRUGS"

"WELL DOCUMENTED &
SCIENTIFICALLY RESEARCHED"

"I was stunned at the amount of research Ann B. Tracy has done on this subject. Few researchers go to as much trouble agressively gathering information on the adverse reactions of Prozac, Zoloft and other SSRIs."
More Book Testimonials

CD/MP3

Help! I can’t get off my antidepressant!

Sign up for updates

Free Drug Awareness News with Ann Blake-Tracy

Name

Email

Hold the FDA accountable..

by reporting adverse side effects to the FDA at Medwatch or 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088). Read more